Are you looking for a quick and easy vegetarian and vegan meal recipe packed full of fresh flavors? Then try our best orzo recipe with tomatoes and basil that can be prepared in under 20 minutes.
Love pasta? Then check out our popular shrimp scampi pasta - cheesecake factory style, quick pasta with broccoli and garlic, and easy lemon garlic pasta.
Why you'll love this recipe
- The best part I love about this orzo pasta is that; it is the perfect recipe for packing in your lunchbox, serving as a side dish for your summer BBQ potlucks and picnics, and a quick weeknight dinner.
- Orzo salad is an excellent option for meal prep; Vegan tomato orzo can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- You can serve this as a warm orzo pasta or cold pasta salad. Taste delicious both ways.
- If you want to include plant-based food, add this healthy, satisfying, flavorful orzo recipe.
Ingredients
Orzo: This pasta is rice-shaped and made from durum wheat. Orzo is also a good source of carbs and protein.
Olive oil: Best flavorful oil to toss your pasta, tomatoes, and garlic.
Garlic: Garlic enhances the flavor of your pasta.
Red pepper flakes: Makes your pasta spicy. If you cannot tolerate the heat, you can skip this.
Tomatoes: Adds a burst of sweetness and acidity to your pasta. Feel free to use cherry tomatoes to make them more colorful. You can even use canned tomatoes for the recipe if fresh tomatoes are unavailable.
Tomato paste: Add canned tomato paste, tomato sauce, bottled pasta, or pizza sauce. This makes your orzo covered in sauce and tasty.
Basil: Refreshing and fresh flavor to your pasta that compliments very well with tomatoes.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Variations
- Add some fresh seasonal vegetables like broccoli, spinach, capsicum or bell peppers, mushroom, or zucchini, to make this dish even more nutritious and healthier.
- Cheese lover? Top it with creamy feta cheese or parmesan cheese.
- Love some crunch in your orzo pasta, then add pine nuts and chopped walnuts.
- You can also check out our favorite orzo recipe made using pesto, parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, and a simple and easy one pot lemon orzo.
Step-by-step instructions
How to cook orzo?
Step 1: Cooking orzo is like cooking any other pasta. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo.
Step 2: Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until done. (Since the size of the orzo varies with the brand, check out the package instructions for cooking time). Drain and drizzle olive oil to avoid it sticking to each other.
Making of the best tomato and basil orzo
Step 3: Heat oil in a pan, Add garlic cloves and saute on medium flame until it sizzles. Add the red pepper flakes and saute for a few seconds (skip this if you do not want it spicy or want to make it kids friendly).
Step 4: Add the diced tomatoes and saute on medium-high flame for 6 to 7 minutes. (You can cover the pan with a lid if needed to avoid the oil from spluttering.)
Step 5: Add the sauce and saute for a minute.
Step 6: Add the cooked orzo.
Step 7: Add chopped fresh basil leaves.
Step 8: Toss until combined. Serve warm or cold, and enjoy.
Tips
- Since the pasta is cooked in salted boiling water plus the sauce contains salt, I have not added any extra salt while sauteing tomatoes.
- Use any pasta or pizza sauce, canned tomato sauce or paste, or even homemade fresh puree in the recipe. This makes your orzo coated in the sauce more delicious too.
- You can add pasta seasoning or garlic powder if desired.
- Fresh herbs work the best. You can substitute with dried ones if fresh ones are unavailable.
Serving suggestions
- You can serve this as a quick meal with garlic bread, toasted baguette or dominos style bread sticks, or any salads as a side with your summer BBQ recipes.
- I also like serving this with garlic butter shrimp and/or mushroom in garlic cream sauce.
Storage and Make ahead instructions
- This orzo can be served warm or cold. Once it comes to room temperature, if there are any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight conatiner and keep them in the refrigerator for four days.
- You can also make this pasta salad ahead of time, store it in the refrigerator, and use it for your busy weeknight dinner.
- If you want to serve it warm, reheat it in the microwave until heated.
Recipe FAQs
Orzo is shaped like rice, but it is a wheat-based pasta used to make quick pasta and pasta salad. It has a softer and creamier texture than rice.
Both orzo and rice are high in carbs and protein. Orzo is slightly better in terms of calories, protein, and fiber content than rice, plus it has a lower glycemic index. Plus, the cooking time for orzo is much less than that of rice. It is an individual choice to decide which grain suits them the best based on their diet.
Yes. You can cook orzo in a rice cooker. The ratio of orzo to water is 1:2. On a white rice setting, cook for 18-20 minutes.
Like any other pasta, orzo is made with durum wheat (semolina) and is not gluten-free. But you can substitute this with the gluten-free pasta of your choice.
Healthy gluten-free substitutes for orzo pasta include quinoa. If you want to use pasta, then try macaroni, ditalini, stelline, fregola, couscous.
Yes, the good part about orzo pasta is that it holds its shape and thus works best for both warm and cold salads.
More pasta recipes
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Recipe card
Simple Orzo Recipe with Tomatoes and Basil
Equipment
- Pot
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Orzo
- Salt
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ to 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
- 3 Tomatoes, diced
- ¼ cup Tomato pasta sauce (you can also use canned tomato paste or sauce)
- 2 to 3 tablespoon Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
How to cook orzo?
- Cooking orzo is like cooking any other pasta.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until done. (Since the size of the orzo varies with the brand, check out the package instructions for cooking time)1 ½ cups Orzo, Salt
- Drain and drizzle olive oil if needed to avoid it sticking to each other.
Making of the best orzo with tomatoes and basil
- Heat oil in a pan, Add garlic cloves and saute on medium flame until it sizzles.2 tablespoon Olive oil, 4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Add the red pepper flakes and saute for a few seconds (skip this if you do not want it spicy or want to make it kids friendly).½ to 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
- Add the diced tomatoes and saute on medium-high flame for 5 to 7 minutes. (You can cover the pan with a lid if needed to avoid the oil from spluttering.)3 Tomatoes, diced
- Add the sauce and saute for a minute.¼ cup Tomato pasta sauce
- Finally, add the cooked orzo and fresh basil leaves and saute until combined.2 to 3 tablespoon Fresh basil leaves
- Serve warm or cold, and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Since the pasta is cooked in salted boiling water plus the sauce contains salt, I have not added any extra salt while sauteing tomatoes.
- Use any pasta or pizza sauce, canned tomato sauce or paste, or even homemade fresh puree in the recipe. This makes your orzo coated in the sauce more delicious too.
- You can add pasta seasoning, pepper powder or garlic powder if desired.
- Fresh herbs work the best. You can substitute with dried ones if fresh ones are unavailable.
- If you love mushrooms, saute 5 to 6 chopped mushrooms with garlic in the recipe to make it mushroom orzo.
- Add some fresh seasonal vegetables like broccoli, spinach, capsicum or bell peppers, mushroom, or zucchini, to make this dish even more nutritious and healthier.
-
- Love some crunch in your orzo pasta, then add pine nuts and chopped walnuts.
- You can also check out our favorite orzo recipe made using pesto, parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomatoes and a simple and easy one pot lemon orzo.
Dannii
Such a great way to use orzo. I love the sound of the flavours.
Gwynn Galvin
Delicious orzo recipe! I love this flavor combination!
Jamie
Wow! This is such a great-looking dish and is very delicious too! Health-cautious people will definitely fall in love with this! Thanks for sharing this with us!
Amy Liu Dong
I have never tried to make any Orzo recipe and I am so interested and excited to make this dish for everyone. It looks easy and delicious!
Lalaine Manalo
This looks delicious and easy to make dish that is perfect for anyone who wants a quick and healthy meal without sacrificing flavor. Thank you for sharing.